Your smartphone shows zero steps even though you just walked for thirty minutes. Or worse, the counter seems stuck for several days without any apparent reason. This malfunction of the pedometer affects both Android devices and iPhones, and its causes often go beyond a simple software bug. The problem lies at the intersection of hardware sensors, intermediate software layers, and power-saving settings that vary by manufacturer.
Health Connect on Android: a step count that depends on an invisible permission
Since Android 14, step counting relies on Health Connect, a system module capable of directly reading the phone’s step sensor without third-party apps or connected watches. This architectural change largely goes unnoticed by users.
The mechanism is said to be “demand-activated”: the counting only starts when an app has obtained the READ_STEPS permission in Health Connect. In practice, if you change phones, reinstall a walking app, or revoke permissions during a settings cleanup, the counter may stop abruptly. No notification warns you.
Many users seek to understand why my phone no longer counts my steps after an update or data migration. The answer often lies in this silent permission that no app has requested again.
To check, open your phone’s settings, search for “Health Connect,” then check the permissions section. If no app has access to read steps, the sensor remains inactive. Grant permission to your usual tracking app, and counting generally resumes within minutes.
Step history limited to 30 days: data that seems to disappear
Health Connect imposes a 30-day limit on reading step history before the date of the first permission. Without the specific PERMISSION_READ_HEALTH_DATA_HISTORY, any attempt to read older data simply returns a silent error.
The data still exists in the system. They are not deleted. However, the app displaying them no longer has access, resulting in entire days showing zero steps.
This phenomenon frequently occurs after:
- A backup restoration on a new phone, where permissions are not always transferred with the data
- A change of tracking app (switching from Google Fit to Samsung Health, for example), as the new app starts with its own authorization dates
- A reset of privacy settings during a major system update
The result for the user is confusing: the counter seems to work some days and not others, with no apparent logic. The distinction between “uncounted steps” and “counted but unreadable steps” is rarely explained in the interfaces.
Step sensor and accelerometer: two components, two types of failures
Modern smartphones use two types of sensors to count steps. The accelerometer detects movement in three axes. The dedicated step sensor, present on most recent phones, is a separate component optimized to filter out false positives and consume little energy.
When the dedicated step sensor fails or disconnects software-wise, the system sometimes switches to the accelerometer alone. Accuracy then drops significantly, with extra steps counted during car rides or missing steps during slow walks.
Check the sensor status without a third-party app
On Android, the “Sensor Information” menu accessible via developer options allows you to view real-time raw data from the step counter. If the value remains frozen while you walk, the hardware sensor is likely faulty.
On iPhone, the diagnosis goes through the Health app. Check the “Steps” section and verify the data source. If “iPhone” no longer appears as an active source, the phone’s motion sensor is no longer transmitting its data to the app.
Power-saving mode and manufacturer restrictions: the most common hindrance
Power-saving mode is the primary cause of incomplete step counting. When activated, most Android manufacturers (Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo) drastically limit background app activity, including synchronization with motion sensors.
The problem is not limited to the official power-saving mode. Several manufacturers add their own battery management layers:
- Samsung applies restrictions via “App Sleep” in battery settings, which can cut off synchronization with Google Fit or Samsung Health without warning
- Xiaomi uses an “app lock” system: without explicit locking, the tracking app is automatically closed after a few minutes of inactivity
- Huawei and Honor impose “auto-launch” settings that must be manually disabled for each affected app
On iPhone, power-saving mode reduces the frequency of motion data collection. Apple Health then groups steps into longer intervals, which can give the impression that the counter is not moving during a walk, before jumping abruptly.
Setting to check first
Before any other manipulation, exclude your tracking app from battery optimizations. On Android, the path is usually Settings, then Apps, then your app, then Battery, then “Not restricted.” On iOS, disable power-saving mode during your walks or check that the “Fitness Tracking” option remains active in Settings, then Privacy, then Motion & Fitness.
Field reports vary on the effectiveness of these settings depending on brands and system versions. A setting that works on a Samsung Galaxy S24 may not exist under the same name on a model from a different range. Each manufacturer update may reset these exceptions without notification.
When your phone’s pedometer stops working, the temptation is to reinstall the app or restart the device. These actions sometimes resolve the issue, but not always. The cause is more often found in a silently revoked permission, an overly aggressive battery restriction, or a system-imposed history limit. Checking these three points in this order avoids wasting time on unnecessary manipulations.
